Tag: spring

Coconut Curry Cod and Vegetable Noodle Bowl (Dairy and Gluten Free!)

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It’s been far too long since I last posted! I shouldn’t make a habit of that.

So I have an obsession…bowls! Ramen, udon, rice noodle, curry, you name it; I want to make them or try them all. This whole thing started when I found Terakawa in Philadelphia and it’s been bowls galore since then. I honestly can’t get enough of them! I even got my mom hooked so she’s testing out her own skills with these as well lol. Keep it up TJ! You’re doing great and we’re learning from each other!

What you’ll need:

    8oz large rice noodles
    2 Tbls coconut oil
    1/2 red onion, chopped
    2 carrots, chopped small
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    6oz baby Bella mushrooms, chopped
    1 squash (green, yellow or patty pan your choice)
    10 leaves kale, chopped
    4 leaves bok choy, chopped
    3 eats corn, boiled and cut off the cob (or one small can drained)
    1 lb cod filets, no skin and deboned
    2 tbls better than bouillon chicken base
    2 tsp red curry paste
    2 tsp turmeric
    2 tsp ground ginger
    12 oz evaporated coconut milk
    8 cups water
    Fresh ground pepper
    Himalayan people no sea salt
    Fresh cilantro, optional

Here’s what to do:

1. Heat the oil over medium heat until melted

2. Sauté the onions and carrots with a couple dashes of salt for 2-3 minutes

3. Add the mushrooms and squash with a couple more dashes of salt for another 2-3 minutes

4. Add the garlic, curry paste, turmeric, ginger and chicken base and sauté for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn

5. Add the water, corn and cod with a couple more dashes of salt and turn the heat up to medium high

6. Bring the pot to a bubbling simmer until the fish is completely cooked and flaky

7. While it is heating up, cook the rice noodles according to their package. Set aside.

8. Add the bok choy and kale and stir to combine while breaking up the fish into pieces if it didn’t already do that on its own. Turn off the heat.

9. Serve in a bowl with chop sticks (or fork) and a spoon. Add the soup in first, then the noodles off to one side and garnish with a rough, small handful of fresh cilantro.

Enjoy!

P.S. My awesome husband got me special ramen bowls for my birthday because I made it so much these days 😊

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Trottole Pasta Salad

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I’m all about pasta this weekend! I used  Simply Balanced Organic Trottole Pasta for this recipe. It’s a fun shape and all the good stuff you add to a pasta salad incorporates well into it. You can pretty much use any type of pasta for this dish if you can’t find this type. Some good alternatives would be farfalle, penne or even multi colored radiatore! Remember to always salt your water when boiling pasta!!

If you want to make this a vegan dish, use a vegan friendly pasta. 


What you’ll need:

  • 16 oz Trottole pasta
  • 1 medium Eggplant, roasted and diced
  • 2 Carrots, chopped small (I used my Kitchen Aid Spiralizer if you have one)
  • 5 Kale leaves, chopped fine
  • 2 Green Onions, chopped into thin rings
  • 4 oz Tomatoes, grape or cherry, halved (optional)
  • Juice of 1 Lemon
  • 1 Tbls dried Thyme
  • 2 Tbls Garlic Powder
  • 1 small can of sliced black olives 
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • S & P

What to do: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
  2. Begin to boil the water for the pasta. 
  3. Remove some of the skin on the eggplant with a peeler, dice and place on a sheet tray with olive oil and S & P. 
  4. Bake for 15-20 minutes until completely soft, remove and let cool. 
  5. Boil the pasta according to the instructions, drain and let cool. 
  6. Meanwhile, prepare the carrots, kale, onions, tomatoes and lemon juice and add all into a large bowl. 
  7. Add the eggplant, thyme, garlic powder, S & P to the mixture. Combine thoroughly. 
  8. Once the pasta has cooled, add it into the mixture with more olive oil and toss. Put in more or less oil and S & P to your taste. 

Enjoy!!

      Kale & Basil Pesto with Orecchiette & Chicken

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      Some of the simplest dishes are simply the best! Pesto is one of my favorite things to eat when the weather is hot and humid. It’s light and requires no “cooking” itself. Although, the pasta and chicken does but not much!

      What you’ll need:

      • 4-5 Leaves of Kale (flat or curly – your preference)
      • 1 bunch of fresh Basil
      • 3/4 lb of Orecchiette
      • 2 Chicken Breasts (or Tofu for a vegetarian option!)
      • 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
      • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
      • 1/3 oz of pine nuts
      • Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, sliced in half, optional
      • S & P

      What to do:

      1. Bring water to a boil for the pasta.
      2. Cook according to the directions.
      3. Separately, place the chicken in a pot, cover with water and boil until cooked through for about 10-15 minutes. (If you’re using tofu, prepare according to the directions and cut into small cubes. Sautée with a little olive oil and S & P. 
      4. Meanwhile, prepare the pesto. Combine the kale, basil, 1/2 cup of cheese, pine nuts and oil in a food processor and put on high until it becomes a paste. (If you prefer a thinner sauce add more oil). 
      5. Drain the pasta and remove the chicken from heat. 
      6. Chop or shred the chicken. 
      7. In a large bowl, mix the pesto, chicken (or tofu) and pasta and until evenly combined. 
      8. Add S & P to taste. 
      9. Add in the tomatoes and top with the additional cheese on each plate. 

      Bean, Quinoa, and Kale Salad

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      What a tasty dish for Summer! It’s light, nutritious, and filling at the same time. I decided to make this after reading about switching out one or two meals a week to vegetarian. You will save a few dollars on your grocery bill and you still can get all the vitamins and nutrients if you choose the right products for the meal.  I, of course, want to be sure my family and I are getting enough protein if we were leaving out the meat. So, I loaded it with beans, quinoa and kale. Believe it or not, raw kale has 3g of protein in one cup.* 

      Here is an article about all the great benefits of quinoa:

      http://www.forbes.com/sites/juliewilcox/2012/06/26/7-benefits-of-quinoa-the-supergrain-of-the-future/

      This recipe makes A LOT! That’s usually how I roll lol. What’s good about making A LOT is that it saves time for me during the week. I can bring some to work for lunch, have it as a quick dinner at night, and it’s an easy meal for me to send to daycare for my toddler! He loves it by the way 🙂

       
      Ingredients:

      • 3 stalks of kale, chopped
      • Cilantro, chopped fine (about 1/4 cup)
      • 2 Corn on the Cob
      • 1 Red Pepper, chopped
      • Juice of 1 Lime
      • 1 cup Grape Tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
      • 1 cup Uncooked White Quinoa
      • 2 cans Black Beans
      • 1 can Cannellini Beans
      • 1 can Pinto Beans
      • Salt
      1. Prepare the corn. Clean off the husks and boil in a large pot until corn is soft. Remember to salt the water. 
      2. While the corn is cooking, chop the pepper, tomatoes, kale, juice the lime,  and rinse the beans in a strainer with cold water. Place all ingredients in a large bowl. 
      3. Remove the corn, set aside, and let cool. Using 2 cups of the same water, cook the quinoa until all the liquid is absorbed. Put a little more salt in the water. (Tip – Don’t boil the quinoa. Let it simmer on low for 10 minutes while covered. Remove from the heat and let stand another 5-10 minutes until you start to see the rings). Once done, add to the other ingredients. 
      4. Cut the corn off the cob and add it to the other ingredients. 

      Once it’s all mixed, I stored portion sizes in snack and sandwich size ziplock bags and then put them all into a freezer bag. Organization is key for me! I also save some for the next day or two. If you do the same, I suggest adding a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil. It will be a little dry if you don’t. 

      Enjoy!

      *Source